Golf club damping

Abstract

A golf club head including a striking face including a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface, a damping element abutting the rear surface of the striking face, wherein the damping element comprises a binder and a filler, wherein the filler has a density less than or equal to 2 g/cc and the binder has a density greater than or equal to 3 g/cc and less than or equal to 12 g/cc, wherein the filler is substantially evenly distributed throughout the binder, wherein the filler comprises a plurality of particles, wherein the particles of the filler are less than 5.0 mm in diameter, and wherein the damping element comprises an average thickness, wherein the average thickness of the damping element is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 100 μm.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face comprising a top, a bottom, a heel side, and a toe side; 
 a hosel located at said heel side of said striking face; 
 wherein said toe side is opposite said heel side; 
 a sole extending rearwards from said bottom of said striking face; 
 a topline extending rearwards from said top of said striking face; 
 wherein said striking face comprises a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface; 
 a damping element abutting said rear surface of said striking face; 
 wherein said damping element covers a majority of said rear surface of said striking face; 
 wherein said damping element comprises a binder and a filler; 
 wherein said binder comprises a polymer; 
 wherein said filler comprises a metal; 
 wherein said binder has a density less than or equal to 2 g/cc and said filler has a density greater than or equal to 3 g/cc and less than or equal to 12 g/cc; 
 wherein a ratio of said density of said filler divided by said density of said binder is greater than or equal to 3; 
 wherein said filler is substantially evenly distributed throughout said binder; 
 wherein said filler comprises a plurality of particles, wherein said plurality of particles of said filler are less than 5.0 mm in diameter; 
 wherein said binder has a mass, wherein said filler has a mass, wherein a ratio of said mass of said binder divided by said mass of said filler is greater than or equal to 4 and less than or equal to 20; 
 wherein said damping element comprises an average thickness, wherein said average thickness of said damping element is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 100 μm; and 
 wherein said damping element comprises a mass, wherein said mass of said damping element is greater than or equal to 50 mg and less than or equal to 1000 mg. 
 
     
     
       2. A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face comprising a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface; 
 a damping element abutting said rear surface of said striking face; 
 wherein said damping element covers a majority of said rear surface of said striking face; 
 wherein said damping element comprises a binder and a filler; 
 wherein said binder has a density less than or equal to 2 g/cc and said filler has a density greater than or equal to 3 g/cc and less than or equal to 12 g/cc; 
 wherein said filler is substantially evenly distributed throughout said binder; 
 wherein said filler comprises a plurality of particles, wherein said plurality of particles of said filler are less than 5.0 mm in diameter; and 
 wherein said damping element comprises an average thickness, wherein said average thickness of said damping element is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 100 μm. 
 
     
     
       3. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said binder comprises a polymer and wherein said filler comprises a metal. 
     
     
       4. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said filler has a density greater than or equal to 5 g/cc and less than or equal to 10 g/cc. 
     
     
       5. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said filler has a density greater than or equal to 7 g/cc. 
     
     
       6. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein a ratio of said density of said filler divided by said density of said binder is greater than or equal to 3. 
     
     
       7. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein a ratio of said density of said filler divided by said density of said binder is greater than or equal to 5. 
     
     
       8. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of particles of said filler are less than 1.0 mm in diameter. 
     
     
       9. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said binder has a mass, wherein said filler has a mass, wherein a ratio of said mass of said binder divided by said mass of said filler is greater than or equal to 4 and less than or equal to 20. 
     
     
       10. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said damping element comprises a mass, wherein said mass of said damping element is greater than or equal to 50 mg and less than or equal to 1000 mg. 
     
     
       11. A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face comprising a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface; 
 a damping element abutting said rear surface of said striking face; 
 wherein said damping element comprises a binder and a filler; 
 wherein said binder comprises a polymer; 
 wherein said filler comprises a metal; 
 wherein said binder has a density less than or equal to 2 g/cc and said filler has a density greater than or equal to 3 g/cc and less than or equal to 12 g/cc; 
 wherein a ratio of said density of said filler divided by said density of said binder is greater than or equal to 3; 
 wherein said filler is substantially evenly distributed throughout said binder; and 
 wherein said binder has a mass, wherein said filler has a mass, wherein a ratio of said mass of said binder divided by said mass of said filler is greater than or equal to 4 and less than or equal to 20. 
 
     
     
       12. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said damping element covers a majority of said rear surface of said striking face. 
     
     
       13. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said binder has a density less than or equal to 2 g/cc and said filler has a density greater than or equal to 5 g/cc and less than or equal to 10 g/cc. 
     
     
       14. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said binder has a density less than or equal to 2 g/cc and said filler has a density greater than or equal to 7 g/cc. 
     
     
       15. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a ratio of said density of said filler divided by said density of said binder is greater than or equal to 5. 
     
     
       16. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said filler comprises a plurality of particles, wherein said plurality of particles of said filler are less than 5.0 mm in diameter. 
     
     
       17. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said filler comprises a plurality of particles, wherein said plurality of particles of said filler are less than 1.0 mm in diameter. 
     
     
       18. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said damping element comprises an average thickness, wherein said average thickness of said damping element is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 100 μm. 
     
     
       19. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said damping element comprises a mass, wherein said mass of said damping element is greater than or equal to 50 mg and less than or equal to 1000 mg. 
     
     
       20. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said ratio of said mass of said binder divided by said mass of said filler is greater than or equal to 6 and less than or equal to 15.